Public Research Through Podcasts

Sam Parr shares how he conducted public research before launching Hampton, demonstrating how to gather competitive intelligence openly and ethically.

Research Strategy Overview

• Intentionally invited competitors/similar business owners onto his podcast
• Openly disclosed intentions to start similar business
• Created public discussion groups to gather insights
• Used podcast interviews as a way to learn business models firsthand

Key Research Methods

• Direct competitor interviews

  • Invited guests running similar companies
  • Disclosed plans to launch competing business
  • Asked detailed questions about their business model
  • Maintained transparency about intentions

• Public Discussion Groups

  • Created Facebook groups around target industries
  • Example: "STR Crew" for short-term rental research
  • Used groups to understand pain points
  • Gathered insights from successful operators

Testing Different Markets

Explored multiple target markets before finding fit:

• Marketing executives

  • Did 50-70 meetings
  • Found pricing resistance at $10k/year
  • Couldn't get sufficient interest

• Fortune 500 CEOs

  • Access was too difficult
  • Couldn't establish connections

• Doctors

  • Lacked industry knowledge
  • Couldn't penetrate market

• Minority business leaders

  • Recognized founder fit issues
  • Determined not credible as leader

• Tech CEOs/Founders (Final Choice)

  • Natural audience alignment
  • Leveraged existing network
  • Strong founder credibility
  • Clear understanding of pain points

Key Lessons

• Public research can be ethical if transparent
• Test multiple markets before committing
• Founder-market fit is critical
• Use existing platforms/networks for research
• Direct customer conversations are essential
• Document research process publicly